Physical conditioning device having elastic strands



y 6, 1965 LE VELL DE SPAIN ETAL 3,193,288

PHYSICAL CONDITIONING DEVICE HAVING ELASTIC STRANDS Filed Sept. 11, 1962Fla? ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,193,288 PHYSICAL CONDITIQNINGDEVECE HAVING -ELASTIC STRANDS Le Veil De Spain, 3250 Virginia Ave, andCharles D. Evans, 11303 4th Ave, both of Lynwood, Calif. Filed Sept. 11,1962, Ser. No. 222,851 2 Claims. (Cl. 272-82) This invention pertains toa physical conditioning device especially adapted to develop the legmuscles of athletes.

While having general utility as an exercising device, the arrangement ofthis invention is particularly effective in conditioning the legs offootball players. It tends to simulate conditions encountered in thegame and permits development of precisely the proper muscles. The deviceof the invention is simply used, permitting the athlete to drive withhis legs in overcoming a resisting force that increases with progressivemovement of the athlete.

The device includes a fiat belt element secured at its ends to a pair ofelastic strands. The opposite ends of the strands may be secured to astationary object. The device is used by engaging the belt and moving inopposition to the resistance offered by the resilient strands. Specialfastening devices firmly hold the ends of the strands and act as bucklesto secure the belt to the strands. Each of the fasteners includes anelongated aperture smaller than the diameter of the elastic strand,which is stretched locally and fitted within the opening. This permitsthe elastic element itself to exert a retaining force as it reactsoutwardly against the walls of the aperture, yet this arrangement willnot cause damage or result in a weakened point in the resilient element.

It is an object of this invention to provide an effective exercisingdevice providing a resisting force in response to movement.

Another object of this invention is to provide a unit suitable forexercising leg muscles and resulting in greater resisting force the morethe unit is moved.

A further object of this invention is to provide a secure, simple, safeand low cost clamping arrangement for securing resilient elements.

These and other objects will become apparent from the following detaileddescription taken in connection with the accompanying drawing in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the arrangement of this invention,

FIG. 2 is an enlarged side elevational view of the clamping elementinterconnecting the resilient strand with the belt,

FIG. 3 is a top plan view of the arrangement of FIG. 2 with the beltremoved for clarity,

FIG. 4 is an end elevational view of the arrangement of FIG. 3,

FIG. 5 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken along line 55 ofFIG. 2 showing how the resilient element is retained within the apertureof the clamping device,

FIG. 6 is a transverse sectional view of the clamping arrangement takenalong line 6-6 of FIG. 4,

FIG. 7 is a top plan view, partially broken away, of the clamping deviceat the opposite end for attachment with a fixed point in use of thedevice of this invention.

As seen in FIG. 1 of the drawing, the device of this invention includesa relatively wide fiat belt or strap 1 secured by clamps 2 to the endsof a pair of strands 3 of elastic material such as rubber. The oppositeends of these filaments connect to a clamp 5 which, through hook 6, issecured to a fixed structural element 7. In use of this device the innersurface of the belt 1 may be contacted at the waist or other portion ofthe body, permitting the person to drive outwardly against the resistddidh Patented July 6, 1965 ing force of strands 3. The greater themovement of the belt 1 away from the fixed structure 7, the more theresistance encountered from the members 3. This type of resilientresisting force is particularly effective in develop ing leg muscles asmay be necessary for football players or other athletes.

With reference now to FIGS. 2 through 5, the arrangement of the clamps 2and the connection to the belt 1 may be seen. Each clamp 2, which may beof aluminum, includes a fiat plate section 9 provided with suitableslots to permit the end of the belt to be woven through. As bestillustrated in FIGS. 3 and 4, the plate of the clamp includes threeparallel cross bars 10,11 and 12 plus a laterally offset cross element13 which define slots 14, 15, 16 and 17. This permits the belt end to beextended through the openings, as seen in FIG. 2, for attachment to theclamp. When the end portion of the belt has been passed through thevarious slots, it becomes doubled over. Two thicknesses pass through theslot 17 on one side of the cross element 13 so as to extend on theopposite side of the cross member 12. These thicknesses of the belt thenextend through the slot 16 at the opposite side of the plate, passingover the cross bar 11. The belt is doubled over, so that a single strandpasses through the aperture 15 on one side of the cross member 10, Whileits continuation passes through the end slot 14 on the opposite side ofthe member 10. In accommodating only one thickness of the belt 1, theslot 14 may be nar rower than the other apertures. The distal end 18 ofthe belt extends beyond the clamp element and lies along the principalsurface of the belt. The offset relationship of the member 13 allows thebelt to pull along the center of the clamp Without undue tendency totwist it. This doubled-over arrangement, together with the weaving backand forth through the slots, assures that the belt end is firmlysecured. Thus, regardless of the amount of force applied to the belt 1it will not slip through either of the clamping members 2. Nevertheless,no auxiliary fasteners are necessary, and the belt is quite easilyassociated with the members 2 which act as buckles for the belt ends. 1i

In order to retain the resilient strand 3, the element 2 includes a basesection 20 at the end opposite the slots, to which is attached a cover21 by means of screws 22 and 23. The base and cover form a housing andare internally contoured so that together they define a pair ofcylindrical apertures 24 and 25. Opening 24 is longer and smaller indiameter than aperture 25 so that there is an internal shoulder 26defined between these two sections.

The end section of the strand 3 fits within the cylindrical openings 24and 25. In order to accomplish this, it is necessary to stretch thestrand to permit it to fit within the opening 24. In a typical example,the strand 3 must be stretched to four times its normal length before itwill fit within the opening 24. Hence, where the strand 3 has a diameterof Z5; inch, the opening 24 may be inch in diameter. Aperture 25normally is the full diameter of the strand 3 and receives the outer endportion 27 of member 3.

With the strand stretched and fitted into the opening in the baseportion 20, cover 21 is applied and the screws 22 and 23 threaded intoplace. Then with the strand 3 released it is firmly retained to theclamping member. The outward force exerted by the strand 3 as it seeksto reach its full dimension serves to securely hold it within the clampby frictional force. Shoulder 26 between the openings 24 and 25 adds tothe resisting force exerted. The shoulder means that in order to pullthe strand 3 from the clamping element, it is necessary to reduce thediameter of the end section 27 that is within the end opening portion25. Furthermore, the shoulder 26 digs into the resilient material of thestrand, resulting in furamount.

ther resisting force. Tests have indicated that the strand may beelongated until its diameter is approximately inch smaller than opening24 before slippage through.-

is utilized, such as a solid rubber rod A; inch in diameter.

A unit having a total length of fifteen feet, or seven and one-half feetfor each side, provides ample dimension for full use of the device andpermits an appropriate amount of elongation as the strands arestretched. The Shore hardness of the rubber will determine the amount offorce to be applied to it in stretching the strands a full For the Vsinch strands of rubber, the Shore hardness usually will run between .30and 60.

The strap 1 can be made of neoprene belting four inches wide byfifty-four inches in length. This preferably is a reinforced beltingthat includes two plies of fourteen-ounce fabric.

The clamping element 5 may be based upon the same general principles asthe end clamps 2, securing the strands by holding them in a stretchedand elongated condition Within apertures of smaller diameter. As seen inFIG. 7, the base 30 and the cap 31 define two parallel cylindricalapertures ,32 and 33. The strand of rubber is stretched to fit withinthese openings which are somewhat smaller in diameter than that of thefree dimension of the resilient strand. As for the clamps, openings of 1inch diameter may be used for rubber elements of /8 inch diameter. Thecap is held on by three screws 34, 35

and 36 after the strand of resilient material has been stretched to fitwithin the openings 32 and 33. The strand generally is a single lengthof material, and hence leaves an unstretched interconnecting portion 37at the end'of the apertures 32 and 33. As before, the clamp exerts afirm retaining force, requiring that the portion 37 between the twocylindrical openings, as well as the main length of the strand,be'stretched to fit within the confines of the cylindricalopenings ifslipping through the clamp is to take place. Therefore, no matter whatuneven force may be imposed on the strands, the clamp will hold firmlyand maintain the two strands of equal length. The clamp is simple inconstruction and use will not damage or weaken the strand of resilientmaterial.

The foregoing detailed description is to be clearly understood as givenby way of illustration and example only, the spirit and scope of thisinvention beingllimited solely by the appended claims.

We claim: 7 a 1. An exercising device comprising a substantially flatflexible strap, a cylindrical elastic filament, a duality of fastenersfor securing the opposite ends of said filament to the opposite ends ofsaid strap,

each fastener including a plurality of slots therethrough,

said strap end being woven through said-slots for securing said strap tosaid fastener, each of said fasteners including a duality ofinterconnected cylindrical apertures therethrough,

said apertures defining a shoulder therebeone of said apertures beingsmaller in diameter than the diameter of said filament,

the other of said apertures being substantially equal in diameter to thediameter of said filament,

'said filament being stretched and received in said one aperture withthe distal end of said filament being received in said other aperture, r

and a fastener intermediate the ends of said filament for securing saidfilament'to an adjacent object,

said last mentionedrfastener including a duality of.

substantially parallel cylindrical apertures therethrough, said filamentbeing stretchedand received in said last mentioned apertures, andextending hetween'two adjacent ends of said last mentioned apertures. 2.A device as recited in claim 1 in which said filament is rubber having aShore hardness substantially in the range of from 30 to 60.

7, References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS RICHARD c.PINKHAM, Primary Examiner.

1. AN EXERCISING DEVICE COMPRISING A SUBSTANTIALLY FLAT FLEXIBLE STRAP,A CYLINDRICAL ELASTIC FILAMENT, A DUALITY OF FASTENRS FOR SECURING THEOPPOSITE ENDS OF SAID FILAMENT TO THE OPPOSITE ENDS OF THE STRAP, EACHFASTENER INCLUDING A PLURALITY OF SLOTS THERETHROUGH, SAID STRAP ENDBEING WOVEN THROUGH SAID SLOTS FOR SECURING SAID STRAP TO SAID FASTENER,EACH FO SAID FASTENERS INCLUDING A DUALITY OF INTERCONNECTED CYLINDRICALAPERTURES THERETHROUGH, SAID APERTURES DEFINING A SHOULDER THEREBTWEEN,ONE OF SAID APERTURES BEING SMALLER IN DIAMETER THAN THE DIAMETER OFSAID FILAMENT,